Agriculturist gets 40 years for P74,900 aid

MANILA, Philippines - For allegedly giving financial assistance amounting to P74,900 to a non-government organization (NGO), a former assistant provincial agriculturist of Sarangani has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, the Office of the Ombudsman announced yesterday.

The ombudsman said Patricio Sol released the money to the Datal Lanao Tribal Cooperative based on questionable documents.

Though the amount was small to warrant a 40-year prison term, the Sandiganbayan said such a penalty is proper for malversation through falsification of public documents.

The anti-graft court also barred Sol from holding public office and ordered him to pay back the provincial government. 

Records show that in 2003, the ombudsman asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to audit financial assistance released by the provincial government to several NGOs.

Audit results showed that some financial assistance to several groups were fraudulent and the projects were non-existent.

The Sandiganbayan said Sol doctored the disbursement vouchers and supporting documents to make it appear that the Datal Lanao Tribal Cooperative was qualified to receive funds.

The COA found out the cooperative was not accredited by the Cooperative Development Authority and had failed to submit its financial statements.

State auditors said no memorandum of agreement was signed between the cooperative and the provincial government.

Meanwhile, the case against Sol’s co-accused, former Sarangani vice governor Felipe Constantino, was dismissed following his death.

Another respondent, Suzette Clerigo of the office of the provincial accountant, remains in hiding.